Live and Love
by fictionwriterfreak48
Summary: The boys and girls split for two weeks and meet two new friends. Villains and heroes are going to cross each other and surprises are in store! Star/Rob, BB/Rae, Speedy/Argent, KF/Jinx, Cy/BumB, Aqua/OC, Red X/OC.
1. Switching

Live and Love

Author's Note: This is collaboration between Rraz45 and myself. We hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: We claim nothing that you recognize! If you don't recognize it, it's original. Simple as that.

* * *

Chapter 1: Switching

Raven sighed as she made her way to the kitchen for some herbal tea. Starfire passed her in the hall just before gasping and grabbing Raven's hand without a word. Raven yelped briefly from the initial shock as she was dragged in the direction she was already going. However, this was how Raven liked the bubbly alien. Her nature was to be talkative and outwardly emotional in all respects. The opposition they had was probably why they got along so well, despite a few issues now and then.

When they were to their destination, Starfire let her go and started to jump up and down in excitement. "Dear Friend, we are to have an all-girl vacation while the boys have an all-boy vacation!"

Raven began to make her herbal tea. "So, that's cool. But what about the city?"

Starfire smiled brighter. "Well, we are going to discuss that with Titans East. Robin was thinking that we could vacation at our homes."

"That's not much of a vacation, Starfire," Raven said. "That's just a sleepover."

"For two weeks?"

"An extended stay."

"Oh…Well, the boys wish to discuss if the girls should come here or that we should go there, to the Titans East Tower."

"What would you prefer?"

"I have noticed our mall of shopping is much better than the mall in Steel City. And you would enjoy your poetry warehouse with Argent because I am sure that Bumblebee does not know where to find such a place." Before Raven could say that she could find a similar place in Steel City, the boys came through the door.

"Ah, good, Star. We were just looking for you and Rae," Robin stated, a smile on his face.

"Titans East should be calling soon," Cyborg said. "Time to sit."

"So, what are you guys thinking?" Beast Boy asked. "Are the guys going to pack or are the girls?"

"I think the boys should be the ones to pack the bags," Starfire stated.

Just then, the screen shimmered and the speakers made the Titan sound as Titans East appeared. Greetings were made, and the news of Speedy and Argent getting together chocked each of the original Titans. Bumblebee cleared her throat. "We can talk about that later. We should get down to business right now."

"That sounds reasonable," Cyborg stated. "Star and Rae want to stay here. Honestly, I want to stay here, too."

"Yeah," Beast Boy agreed. "Besides, we have Game Station Deluxe." Más y Menos nearly wept with joy, Speedy grinning in the background."

"You could easily bring that with you," Raven reasoned. "I can't move the clubs with my telekinesis." Everyone looked at her as if she had grown a tail. "What?"

"You…club?" Aqualad questioned.

"It happens," defended Raven, her face slightly flushed as she crossed her arms.

Starfire chuckled. "She means her club of the depressing and dark poetry."

"Well, let's take a vote," Bumblebee suggested.

Robin blinked. "I was just going to say that." He sounded both confused and slightly irritated. "All for the girls staying here and the guys staying at Titans East Tower?"

All the girls, Aqualad, and Speedy raised their hands immediately. Starfire looked about and saw that Robin did not. Glaring at him, he slowly lifted his hand halfway in the air.

Cyborg counted and bit off a curse. "Man! I wanted to stay here! It's _my _tower!"

Robin scowled at him. "Your tower? I'd say it was more mine."

Beast Boy snickered. "And you're _so_ willing to give it up for two weeks."

A glare from Robin set Beast Boy laughing hysterically, followed by Cyborg's boisterous laughter and a few chuckles from Speedy, Aqualad, and Más y Menos. The girls stare at them like they were crazy.

Bumblebee shook her head. "Okay, boys," she stated, sweeping her hand in the air as if to order them away, "time to pack. See you guys in the next few days." The screen returned to the window view.

* * *

Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Please Review!


	2. New Friends

Live and Love

Author's Note: This is collaboration between Rraz45 and myself. We hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: We claim nothing that you recognize! If you don't recognize it, it's original. Simple as that.

* * *

Chapter 2: New Friends

Robin was glad the trip was over. The never ending pestering from Cyborg and Beast Boy was getting old. It was like they were trying to prove just how whipped he was since Tokyo. It was an ongoing battle. He couldn't wait for them to get girlfriends so he could make fun of them. See how they like it.

Unfortunately, his reprieve was short-lived. The minute he got his things unpacked in one of the guest bedrooms and out to the living room, Speedy and Aqualad joined in the picking.

"Dude, so what's that around your neck?" Beast Boy asked.

"Huh?" Robin raised his hand to his neck to feel nothing.

"Didn't you know?" Speedy replied. "That's the tight leash Starfire's got him on."

Robin frowned deeper and stomped tot the fridge for a soda, wishing for something stronger. He thought he might get a little sympathy from his "mask buddy." He was definitely wrong. Más y Menos sped past Robin and up to Speedy. "Muchacho del pelo es triste que Argent fue al Jump City."

"What did you just say? What are you talking about Argent for?" Speedy snapped.

The others laughed. "Guess Robin isn't the only whipped guy around here," Cyborg stated.

Speedy crossed his arms. "I'm not whipped."

"No tienen remedio," Más said.

"Eres enamorado," Menos agreed.

Beast Boy frowned. "Where's a translator when you need one?"

"Aqualad generally translates, unless he finds it amusing," Speedy informed him with a frown.

A splash in Speedy's face told the others Aqualad had arrived in the room. He laughed. "Maybe you should learn Spanish, then since they pick on you the most."

Before Speedy could retort, the alarm went off. A groan sounded from the guys as they departed to the scene of the crime. The city was quiet except for the roar of a familiar voice. Beast Boy visibly frowned as he transformed into a pterodactyl. He knew that voice all too well, but he thought he would never hear it again. When the heroes arrived, the scene greeted them with the members of Hive Five and two girls fighting them.

"What do you guys say to helping the ladies?" Speedy asked with a grin. A crash sounded from the view before them.

"We better hurry, then," Cyborg gruffly said as he sprung into action. One of the girls was on the ground, struggling to get up.

Mammoth spotted them. "Man! Why'd they have to show up?" he grumbled as he prepare for the fray ahead of them.

Billy Numerous was not paying attention to the upcoming Titans. His focus was on the girl he had just punched with four of himself. She was extremely gorgeous in his opinion. "Well, Billy," he said to one of himself, "best give the little lady a hand."

SeeMore whacked him in the head. "Finish her, you idiot!"

Billy smiled. "That's what I plan to do."

Gizmo sighed audibly. "Flirting isn't finishing her, Snot Rag!"

Cyborg stopped in his run. "They're fighting among themselves while fighting? What's wrong with these people!"

Beast Boy grinned. "All the easier to get them to where they belong."

Shaking his head, Speedy said, "Not that it ever helped you."

Beast Boy snorted. "I can win any fight I want."

Cyborg shook his head. "Now's not the time for your delusions of grandeur. Más y Menos raced past them to get their attention back to the Hive Five sooner than Beast Boy could react. A scream sounded from Billy Numerous as a blue hand captured him, forcing him to be one with his duplicates again. The girl on the ground jumped on Mammoth's back and was restraining him like a cobra around his neck.

Robin threw a disk at Gizmo's technology pack. Speedy shot an arrow at each of SeeMore's eye bombs heading towards them. Cyborg and Beast Boy tag-teamed Kyd Wykkyd. Aqualad call the water from the drain piped and helped the girl on Mammoth's back by constantly hitting him with the water, forming a puddle at Mammoth's feet that he slipped in. Más y Menos circled SeeMore and knocked him to the ground. The battle was almost over when Gizmo formed wings from his pack and shot rockets at each of the heroes. A blur knocked them away and a pick flash at Gizmo's pack sent him falling the ground.

"Kid Flash! Jinx!" Cyborg exclaimed as the police led the Hive Five into the high security van. "Good to see you!"

"Well, this is an interesting reunion," Kid Flash stated.

Jinx looked around. "Where are Raven, Starfire, and Bumblebee?"

"Our place," Robin answered. "Argent's there, too."

"What is it? A girls versus guys contest?" Jinx inquired.

Robin shook his head. "We just wanted a break from each other."

"So, why are the guys here?" Kid Flash asked.

"'Cause Robin's whipped!" Beast Boy interjected.

Robin fumed. "I'M NOT WHIPPED!"

Kid Flash shook his head. "You're whipped, man."

Jinx glared at him. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Uh…nothing," Kid Flash blushed as the guys laughed.

Cyborg chuckled. "Maybe there should be a club."

"Yeah," Beast Boy agreed. "Robin can be the leader." The green Titan could all but see the steam coming out of Robin's ears.

"Speedy could be leader," Aqualad suggested. "He's not leader of anything else."

"Excuse me!" an unfamiliar voice sounded. The Titans turned to face the two girls they had helped. The one that had spoken was the one that produced blue magic. "You have the decency to help, but completely ignore us afterward? What kind of heroes are you?"

"Easy, Fae," the other said softly. "Thank you for your assistance, but we could have handled them on our own."

Robin studied them for a moment. The one with blue magic had pale skin and the greenest eyes he had ever seen, framed by dark auburn hair cut at the shoulder. Her uniform was a light blue and form fitting unitard, a see-through black sash at her hips, and two cuts across her midsection to show off her belly button and well-toned abs. The top of her uniform was strapless with a heart-shaped top accentuating her natural gifts. The other had a Native American look to her, complete with a doeskin dress. Her dress was torn off at the knee, as if it had been clawed off, the same with the top. Her off the shoulder sleeves were sheer and looked clawed at as well. Her eyes were nearly as dark as her hair.

"Pardon our…uh…rudeness," Aqualad said, staring at the Native American.

"It's perfectly fine," she told him. "I'm Robyn, and this is my best friend, Faren."

Robin blinked. Cyborg laughed. The others looked from Robin to the girl.

"Wait, your name's Robyn?" Beast Boy asked incredulously.

"What you don't like the name Robyn?" Faren snapped.

Beast Boy pushed Robin towards the girl. "Robyn, meet Robin."

The two blushed and laughed at Coincidence. "So, is Robin your real name?" she asked.

He cleared his throat. Starfire wouldn't approve of the way she was looking at him. "No…uh…it's not."

"Me neither. Just a stage name. I used to be in show business," she stated.

Starfire wouldn't have approved, but he couldn't help the "Me, too!" that slipped from him mouth.

Cyborg laughed louder. Speedy nudged his "mask buddy" with a grin. "Do we need to call Starfire?"

Robin's cheeks burned. Robyn laughed. "Girlfriend? Don't worry, I'm sure she'll understand."

"I don't know," Beast Boy said in an unsure tone that revealed a teasing aspect of him to the girls. "She's got a pretty tight leash on him."

Faren laughed. "If she had such a short chain on him, she wouldn't let him out of her sight."

"She doesn't," Cyborg said, "when we're in Jump City."

"I'M NOT WHIPPED!" Robin yelled. "How many times do I have to say that?"

Robyn put her hand on his shoulder. "Don't listen to them. They'll be worse than you when the time comes."

Robin smiled. "You know, you're right. Cyborg's already worse when it comes to Bumblebee."

Cyborg blanched. "No way am I whipped over Bumblebee," he stated. "Besides, Beast Boy takes the cake. Remember Terra?"

Beast Boy visibly flinched. "Dude, that was a low blow. I don't have feelings for Terra anymore."

"Oh?" Aqualad questioned. "Is there another girl?"

The blush on Beast Boy's face was unmistakable. "No! Why would you think that?"

Everyone laughed and they went back to the Tower.

* * *

Music blasted through the speakers. Raven sat on the couch, determined to not enjoy the pounding bass and gyrating of bodies. The other girls danced to the music, but allowed Raven to sulk. They knew she liked it, despite her attitude.

The music suddenly stopped midsong. Raven and Starfire exchanged confused glances. The screen flickered. The girls glanced at it curiously. Were the boys trying to contact them? Already?

A familiar, fat man with long, red hair popped on screen finally. They all groaned. Why had Control Freak returned? Wasn't he frozen? Weren't most of the villains of the world frozen?

"Hello, ladies," he clumsily greeted. "How's the party?"

Bumblebee frowned and buzzed her way up to meet his eyes. "What are you doing?"

"I'm not here for you," he said. He stuck out his tongue. "Actually, I have a riddle for you." The smug smile told them it was not going to be a good one.

"For who?" Raven asked. "Before we take you to jail, that is."

"For Starfire," he replied. "Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, just like who?"

The girls turned to Starfire in anticipation. Was she really going to answer this ridiculous riddle? Starfire smiled. "Robin!" she answered.

Control Freak's mouth gaped as the girls burst into laughter. Argent shook her head. "Robin is not sweet."

Starfire blushed. "He is to me."

"Of course," Raven said with a smile. "You have him wrapped around your pinky with a tight leash."

The redness on the alien's face worsened. "I do not carry a leash on my smallest finger."

Control Freak whined, "The answer was you."

Bumblebee sighed. "You are an idiot and pathetic, you know that? Who in their right mind would be hang out with you?"

The couch potato blinked at her and clicked off the screen and in front of Starfire with puppy dog eyes. Raven shook her head in disbelief. "You did not seriously just zap yourself in front of us."

"He's done it before," Bumblebee stated. "Alright, Freak, time to go to jail." Argent had grabbed his remote and handed it to Starfire.

The sad man didn't bother to fight as he was led away by Raven and Argent. Bumblebee and Starfire exchanged looks of both relief and disgust. "Perhaps we should not mention this to Boyfriend Robin," Starfire suggested. "I would not wish to trouble him."

"I don't think 'Boyfriend Robin' would be jealous of him, Starfire," Bumblebee informed her with a chuckle.

The screen flickered again. Starfire squeaked in surprise and glared at it. "I hope the Control Freak did not escape our friends Argent and Raven.

Robin and Cyborg were on screen. Cyborg smiled. "What's this about Control Freak?"

"Nothing much, Sparky. Just had a run-in with him," Bumblebee told them. I think he just wanted a date from Starfire."

Robin paled. "He what!" Cringing, he saw Starfire's grossed out face. "Guess I know where he is right now."

"Yep, on his way to jail," reported Bumblebee.

The grin on Cyborg's face broadened and he nudged Robin. "Don't be jealous, Robin," he teased.

"Jealous of what?" a girl's voice sounded from the background. Starfire and Bumblebee glanced at each other before eyeing the boys warily. What was going on? Weren't they "taking a break" from girls? Bumblebee shook her head. Leave it to Aqualad, Cyborg, and Beast Boy to bring in girls from Steel City.

Starfire broke the awkward silence. "Uh…why is there a girl's voice in the back of the ground if you are on the boys' vacation?" she inquired.

"That's one of the reasons we're calling," Cyborg explained. "We ran into Jinx and two new acquaintances." Two girls appeared on screen. "Starfire, Bumblebee, meet Faren and Robyn."

Starfire's eyes widened. "Wait, your name is Robin, too?"

"Spelled with a 'y', but yes," the girl stated.

Raven and Argent returned and introductions were repeated. Argent smiled. She knew Starfire would go on about the similarity in names between her boyfriend and this new girl. Raven had taught her that much about the bubbly girl from Tamaran.

Robin smiled at his girlfriend. "Actually, Jinx, Robyn, and Faren would love to join you girls, if you don't mind."

"Mind?" Starfire exclaimed. "Come and be welcome, new friends!"

The auburn girl brightened up. "We'll be there in a few hours, if I have my way."

"Faren! You know I'm scared to death of your teleportation!" Robyn stated, fear gripping her voice.

"Relax, Robyn," the girl said. "We can always take a plane."

Jinx appeared, panic on her face. "No planes! I'm bad luck. Magic's much better. I can't hurt it."

"Guess I'm out of luck," muttered Robyn with a defeated sigh.

Kid Flash stood next to his girlfriend. "You could always take the Kid Flash Express."

Jinx glared at him. Raven shook her head. "I didn't know you were a female, Flashy."

Kid Flash blushed. "That's not funny."

Jinx laughed. "I thought it was."

"You're supposed to be on my side!" he exclaimed, mocking anger. "Besides, if I was female, what does that make you?"

Cyborg and Beast Boy said, "Oh! Burn!" Pink flashed. The next thing they knew, the ground was sinking below their feet. They attempted to get out, but the floor was dragging them under too fast. Beginning to beg Jinx, who was ignoring them, to let them out. The others in the Titans East Tower only laughed. Jinx held a smirk on her face.

"Jinx!" Bumblebee scolded. "Change that back! The last thing I need is another bill to fix something!"

"As you wish," the girl said as she snapped her fingers. Cyborg and Beast Boy were still stuck in the floor. Bumblebee rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Okay, fine, ruin my fun. I'll release your boyfriend and his friend and fix the floor."

Bumblebee and Cyborg blushed. "He's not my BOYFRIEND!" she yelled just as Cyborg shouted. "I'm not her BOYFRIEND!"

The current couples chuckled rolled their eyes. Robin remembered a similar situation not too long ago, followed by a series of events that led to his wonderful relationship. His eyes gazed at Starfire, his smile impeccable. He figured both Bumblebee and Cyborg were just as stubborn as he was and would soon see the attraction between them. And, despite what Cyborg said, he was already entranced and at Bumblebee's disposal. If she asked him to jump, he would ask how high.

Just then, the Titans East Tower alarm went off. Cyborg let the girls go with a groan.

On the way, Speedy was restless. The few hours he and Argent were apart was near torture. How was he going to last two weeks without her snide comments and picking? He just didn't know. "Who do you think it is this time?" he asked Robin.

"No one we can't handle," Boy Wonder stated confidently as they arrived on the scene.

"You sure about that, Boy Blunder?" a mechanized voice responded. Robin's eyes widened in surprise and his breath caught in his mouth. _No_, he thought.

"Who is this guy?" Robyn questioned when she saw the black form with a skull mask.

"Red X, at your service," the costumed man replied, a smug tone to his voice.

Faren laughed. "That's the worst name I've ever heard. Don't you have any imagination?"

Robin blushed and the other original boys held back chuckles. Red X stared at her. "And what's your name? Spacegirl?"

Faren growled. "You'll have to just find out, won't you?"

As far as they could tell, Red X smiled. "No sweat."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Take it how you will, Spacegirl."

Faren attacked with a blue sword forming in the air just about to strike him. X dematerialized, popping up behind her, restraining her hands behind her back. Fae could feel his right hand covering hers behind her back and his other arm seductively embracing her around her waist. He threw her head back so he could see her eyes.

"You know," he said in a husky whisper, "the challenge doesn't have to be a fight."

Faren's face contorted into a half-shock, half-smile at the implication. "You wish, Skull boy. You fight like an old man," she said as she threw him towards the others.

Robin jumped out of the way. He hated to fight against the thief. The guy had helped them so much. Cyborg shot him with a sonic blast. Beast Boy rammed into him. Red X recovered and threw an X at Speedy, followed by Más y Menos. The twins were separated. Speedy's bow was out of reach.

Robyn attacked next. She hit like an elephant: hard. Taking a few steps back, X caught his breath. He looked at the Titans one by one. Speedy had his bow back. The fast-moving twins were together again. There was no way he was going to win so outnumbered. Some of them didn't even attack yet.

"Until next time," he said, throwing a red smoke x to the ground and disappearing.

Faren looked Robyn. "Who was that guy?"

* * *

Author's Note: So Red X has returned. What's he up to this time?

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please Review!


	3. Gossip

Live and Love

Author's Note: This is collaboration between Rraz45 and myself. We hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: We claim nothing that you recognize! If you don't recognize it, it's original. Simple as that.

* * *

Chapter 3: Gossip

A blue orb landed on the island. The orb became larger and disappeared, revealing the three girls recently in Steel City. Jinx sighed, her heart pounding.. This had been forgiven, but the Tower always reminded her of HIVE.

"I haven't been here since I was helping HIVE take it over," she stated.

"You what?" Faren asked.

"You were friends with those idiots?" Robyn wondered aloud.

Jinx blushed. "Um…yeah. Kid Flash got me out."

"Awww!" Robyn exclaimed. "That's so sweet!"

Rolling her eyes, Jinx smiled. It was true, not that she or Kid Flash would ever admit it. "I take that back, I've been here since. Only once, though. When we stopped the Brotherhood of Evil." Jinx sighed. That was the best memory she had of this place. Perhaps some better memories would come of this visit. "So, what do we do? Knock?"

Suddenly, Starfire flew down from the roof. "Oh! New friends! And Jinx! It is good to see you in person now! Welcome!"

Raven, Bumblebee, and Argent floated down and greeted their guests. Leading them through the Tower, Starfire showed them to their rooms with great enthusiasm. After settling in, Jinx and Argent caught each other up on their relationships, leaving Robyn and Faren with Starfire.

"Where is Raven and Bumblebee?" Faren asked curiously.

"Raven is in her room and I believe Bumblebee is speaking with Cyborg of Steel City," answered Starfire. "Raven must meditate for a few hours per day."

"Why?" Robyn questioned.

"For her powers. She is strong, but emotions control her powers. She must work very hard to keep them from overpowering her," explained Starfire.

Faren nodded her head in understanding. "Okay, let's leave her to meditate."

Robyn cleared her throat. The other two girls looked at her. Robyn glanced at Starfire. "So, you and Robin…"

Faren laughed. Starfire smiled brightly. "Oh, yes! Robin and I are together indeed! We are filled with the happiness. I feel warm when we are together."

Briefly, Robyn looked sad, but the girl seemed to have a revelation. "That's wonderful ! It's great to find a guy that makes you feel that way."

Faren seemed surprised at first, but her expression softened to pride and relief. It was as if she and her friend had come to the same conclusion. Raven arrived to see her expression, but said nothing. Instead, she sat on the sofa and read her book.

Starfire soon learned that Roby loved to shop. With a squeal, she dragged the poor girl with her to find Bumblebee. They returned to the living room, Bumblebee laughing at Starfire's antics.

"Raven!" called Starfire. ""You must come with us!"

"I'm good," Raven stated. Argent and Faren declined the offer as well. As the others left for the mall, Faren sighed with relief.

"You don't like shopping, do you?" Argent surmised.

"Not in particular," she replied. "It's okay once in a while."

"Starfire likes to go the mall a lot, so I'm sure you'll be there sometime during the next two weeks," Raven informed them.

"Oh, joy," Faren muttered, the sarcastic tone not lost on her companions. "So, what are you reading?"

"Spells," Raven answered, "from Azarath. It's the last thing I have from my home."

Starfire led Robyn and Bumblebee to her favorite stores, full of frilly and girl clothes. Yet, even in these shops, the alien found the cutest, simple items that looked great on them and weren't frilly, lacy, or the like. It was a pleasant surprise to her two companions.

After an hour, they stopped in the food court. Starfire had a hamburger with extra mustard, plus a mustard bottle to drink. Robyn and Bumblebee exchanged looks, but shrugged off the odd choice of beverage. She was an alien after all. Many things she did was strange to them.

After playing videogames all day, there was nothing else to do. Beast Boy sighed. Robin had just finished combat practice with Speedy and Aqualad. Cyborg had been lifting weights, and Más y Menos somehow ended up racing Kid Flash around the Tower, destroying any chances for pranks.

Now, they all sat in the living room. They only sat, not saying a word to each other, with the exception of Kid Flash and the twins, who were still racing around the living room. The guys had stopped trying to watch them. The blurs were making their heads ache. It was like watching a bad quality movie on HDTV.

Another sigh escaped Beast Boy. "I'm bored," he expressed.

"Me, too," Speedy agreed. "What do you guys want to do?"

"I don't know. Normally, this is when some idiot in Steel City decides to rob a bank or something," Aqualad said.

Más y Menos stopped in front of the group, Kid Flash almost knocking into them. "Cierto o Reto."

The guys looked to Aqualad. "They suggested Truth or Dare."

"That's a great idea!" Cyborg exclaimed.

Smiling, Robin added, "Yeah, I haven't played that since I was a little kid."

"Well, we all know you aren't as innocent now," Speedy joked.

"Look who's talking," spurred Aqualad.

"So, we all are agreeing, right?" Kid Flash prompted. "Yes" echoed through the room. "Okay, if someone doesn't do a dare, or lies, what should happen?"

They all thought for a moment. "Something embarrassing," Aqualad suggested, "like running around naked."

"That might be embarrassing for you," Robin teased.

"Aqualad's onto something," Beast Boy agreed. "But something's got to be done about Cyborg."

"Don't worry," Cyborg said, "I won't back down or lie. Not my style."

Robin smirked. "Dress him in girls' clothes for the day.

Cyborg blushed, remembering his brief time in the HIVE and his return. "Why, Robin, why?"

Beast Boy laughed. "I like the sound of that," he stated. The others laughed as well.

Kid Flash volunteered first. His sights turned to the green Titan. When Beast Boy chose dare, Kid Flash smiled. "Alright. I dare you to lick the bottom of Robin's boots."

Eyes widening into saucers, Beast Boy gulped. Robin took off his boots and shoved them towards the green humanoid. Beast Boy cringed, but picked them up and stuck his tongue out. A quick lick and Beast Boy threw them back at Robin.

"Dude!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "Wipe your feet when you walk in someplace! That tasted like sewer water!" Robin shrugged. "My turn now," Beast Boy continued. "Cyborg, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Wimp," Speedy teased.

"Truths are much more difficult than dares sometimes," Aqualad reasoned.

Beast Boy smirked knowingly. "What are your feelings about Bumblebee?"

"Oh!" echoed in the room. Every one of them sat in suspense of what Cyborg would say. Hints of the attraction between the two of them had always been sketchy. The expression on Cyborg's face was perfect. Shock was missed with a little annoyance.

"I…uh…like her…uh…a lot," Cyborg slowly admitted.

"Finalmente! Sabimos todo el tiempo," Más y Menos exclaimed.

Cyborg frowned, partly from not understanding what they said and Aqualad didn't want to translate. "Aqualad, truth or dare."

"T-truth," stuttered the Atlantean to his dismay.

"Got any feelings for anyone?" Cyborg arched a suggestive eyebrow.

The Atlantean squirmed. He seemed more uncomfortable than usual at such a question. Why did he choose truth? He always said that was harder than dares. Oh yeah, he wanted to seem tough. Well, so he would now.

"Robin," he stated.

Robin paled and backed away from Aqualad. The guys laughed. "No wonder you suggested running around naked," Beast Boy teased.

Aqualad's eyes widened. "No, no, no! You got it all wrong! _Girl_ Robyn! That's who I was talking about! _Girl_ Robyn!"

"Yeah, sure," Speedy jabbed.

"I promise! I'll prove it!" Aqualad stood up and threw down his pants. The guys covered their eyes, but just a little too late. "I'm not having a hard-on! If I felt that way, I wouldn't be able to do this in good conscience!" He pulled up his pants again.

Speedy cringed. "That was something I never wanted to see." Murmured agreement spread. "At least we know it's true."

Cyborg shook his head to erase the picture out of his mind. "Are you sure about that? I mean, Aqualad didn't see Robin naked or anything," he stated.

All eyes turned to the Boy Wonder. Robin's eyes widened. "Oh, no! I'm not doing that!"

"My turn! Let's get _that_ bit of awkwardness behind us!" Aqualad intervened. Robin sighed with relief. "Speedy?"

"Dare."

"Take off the mask."

"What! No fair!"

"Anything goes in Truth or Dare, bro," Cyborg said.

"Fine!" Speedy pulled off his mask slowly.

Robin gasped. "Roy? Roy Harper?"

Speedy glared at him. "How do you know my name?"

Robin shrugged his shoulders. Speedy knew Robin wasn't going to answer him by the smug look on the Boy Wonder's face. A sudden thought came to the archer's mind.

"Robin, truth or dare?

Robin didn't have to think about it. "Dare," he responded.

Speedy smirked. "I dare you to take off _your_ mask."

The rest of the guys "oohed" while Robin's eyes widened. "What?" the young hero uttered.

Speedy grinned. "If I have t take my mask off, then so do you."

Robin stood up from his seat. All eyes were on him as they waited in anticipation. He reached for his cape and took it off. Then his shirt followed suit. "I refuse to take my mask off," Robin forcibly stated before finishing undressing himself."

All eyes went from the short leader to Aqualad. The Atlantean looked at them all strangely. "What?" the young hero asked, his confusion apparent in his voice.

"How is this making you feel?" Cyborg asked with a laugh.

Aqualad rolled his eyes. It wasn't that funny! Especially since it wasn't true! "Haha, I feel nothing!"

"Is it because you're impotent down there?" Speedy joked.

Aqualad's mouth hung open. How could his friend say that! "Do I have to pull my pants down again?"

Beast Boy snickered. "Oh sure, you want to pull your pants down when Robin is naked." Robin stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widened in horror.

"It's official, Aqualad wants our friend Robin," Speedy commented. "In his pants," Beast Boy added.

Aqualad sulked. He was never going to hear the end of this! Robin put his clothes back on and sat furthest away from Aqualad. The Boy Wonder had Starfire, and he most definitely didn't float _that_ boat!

"Kid Flash, truth or dare," Robin turned the tables.

Kid Flash thought a moment. "I'm going to have to say truth," the speedy teen replied.

"How far have you gone with Jinx?" Bird Boy asked.

Kid Flash grinned. "Depends on how appropriate you want this."

Más y Menos both raised their eyebrows and "oohed."

Robin glanced at the Spanish heroes before looking back at the smug teen. "Should we send the kids away?"

Kid Flash hid back in his seat and rested his hands on the back of his head. "Nah. I think Beast Boy is mature enough for this."

Beast Boy narrowed his eyes. "Dude!"

Cyborg chuckled. "Come one, Grass Stain, we all know it to be true."

Beast Boy crossed his arms and sulked. He wasn't a boy anymore-he was a man!

"Well, what are you waiting for, Meatless, answer Bird Boy's question," Speedy stated.

All eyes were on Speedy until Kid Flash cleared his throat. He took a pause for a moment before answering. "Let's just say the chick is happy in _all_ ways." The rest of the guys broke out into laughter. They still couldn't picture the two together.

"Alright, Más y Menos, truth or dare?" Kid Flash asked the Spanish preteens.

Más y Menos looked at one another and grinned. "Cierto," they both responded.

"Tell us what your real names are," the speedy teen spoke.

Más y Menos both whispered in Aqualad's ear. Aqualad grinned and leaned back in his seat. The guys looked at him expectantly, but the Atlantean didn't say a word. Speedy couldn't take it anymore. "So, what are their names?" Speedy asked.

"Learn Spanish and I'll tell you," Aqualad replied.

The guys ended up having a blast and cracking jokes, but they couldn't help but wonder what the girls were up to…

Coincidentally, in the common room of the Titan's Tower, the girls were also playing truth or dare. Argent glanced at her fiery-haired friend with a mischievous grin. "Starfire, truth or dare?"

Starfire thought about it for a moment. "I believe I shall choose speaking of the truth."

"Remember if you don't answer the question you have to eat your pudding of sadness and take a picture while you eat it and we're sending it to the boy's" The alien nodded fearlessly. "What have you done with Robin?" Argent asked, her mischievous smile growing on her pale face.

Starfire blinked couple of times. Everyone else laughed, sure she wouldn't understand. However, they were all curious about it themselves. What had she done with Robin? They prepared to explain it to her if she said that she didn't understand.

"I do not understand the question," the bubbly alien spoke, confirming the girls' belief at her knowledge of that sort of thing. Raven moved closer to her best female friend. She whispered something in the Tamaranian's ear. Starfire's eyes widened and a rosy blush formed ton her cheeks. The girls broke out in a fit of giggles once more.

Faren noticed the sheepish look on her fellow red-head's face. She glanced at the direction of her best friend. "I don't think their relationship is as innocent as she is," Faren whispered in her best friend's ear. Robyn rolled her eyes. Her friend was so crazy sometimes.

"Well, Starfire…" Argent waited for her answer.

Starfire's blush deepened. "I believe we hit the home run, as you say."

Bumblebee hunched over in laughter. Her alien friend has been spending way too much time with Sparky and Beast Boy.

"Is it my turn to ask the truth or dare?" Starfire asked.

"Wait a minute! I want to hear more about you and Robin," Robyn responded.

"When it's your turn you can ask her," Faren replied with a grin. Robyn rolled her eyes, but smiled anyways.

"I think I will choose a new friend. Faren, will you have the truth or the dare?"

With a smug smirk on her face, Faren declared, "Dare."

The smile on Starfire's face was unforgettable. "I must dare you to wear Beast Boy's dirty clothes for us to photograph."

Raven's mouth dropped open. Was this the Starfire she knew? The one who practically just learned where babies come from? The one who she took under her wing when Robin broke her heart the first time Batgirl arrived at Titans Tower? The one who was the sweetest person in this dimension? Raven had no idea the alien had it in her.

"Well, it can't be that bad," Faren thought out loud.

Bumblebee snickered. "Have you met the half-pint?" she asked.

"Yeah, so?" the auburn haired girl replied.

"Clearly you haven't spent a lot of time with him," Raven stated.

"Not as much as you," Argent responded.

No one noticed the red tint that slightly appeared on Raven's cheeks. None except for Faren. She looked at the mysterious girl with curious eyes and said nothing. Maybe Raven was ready to admit anything, even to herself."

"So who is getting the clothes?" Faren asked. Starfire and Argent left the common room for a few minutes. When they returned, Starfire had a set of clothes in her arms, and Argent had a disgusted look on her face.

"Somebody better tell Beast Boy to clean his room!" Argent slightly yelled.

Robyn chuckled at the horrified look on her best friend's face. She could smell the foulness of the dirty clothes from where she was sitting. It must be even worse being so close to the stinky material.

Faren held her breath as she put on the changeling's clothes. "What does this kid do to get his clothes so smelly?" It was a hilarious sight to see. The changeling's clothes were tighter than Faren expected them to be, the shirt stretching too thin across her chest and middle. The pants pinched her hips uncomfortably, and the fabric spread tightly on her butt and thighs. All the girls broke out into laughter at Faren's expense. Faren just rolled her eyes. "Will you just take the damn picture already!" the auburn-haired heroine snapped.

As soon as Starfire snapped the photo, Faren stripped out of the dare. "I'm going to have to take a shower every hour for a week to get rid of that stench."

Faren looked at each of the female Titans. "So who should I pick?" she asked aloud. Her green eyes landed on the purple-haired teen. "Truth or dare, Raven?"

Raven groaned. She knew truth or dare was a bad idea. "Dare," she ground out.

An evil glint flashed through Faren's eyes. "I dare you to sing a duet with Starfire."

Raven's eyes widened in horror while Starfire's lit up with excitement. The rest of the girls all laughed. "I like this dare," Starfire stated. "Of course you do," Raven grumbled.

Bumblebee went up to Robin's stereo and picked the song her two friends were going to sing. Starfire and Raven stood up, the gothic teen sulking. The song was "All About Us" by t.A.T.u. The moment the song started, the girls were blown away by Raven's talented singing voice. None of them thought she could sing. When the song was over, Raven immediately sat back down in her seat. Once again, all eyes were on her.

"You should sing more often," Bumblebee complimented.

"No," Raven answered dryly. Her tone shut everyone up. "Robyn, truth or dare?"

Robyn thought about it for a moment. "Truth."

"How did you and Faren meet up with the boys?" Raven asked, unable to think of anything else.

Robyn grinned. "Well, Faren and I were fighting these guys who were a part of the HIVE. The guys got involved, and of course we won. Then we fought this guy called Red X, he was such a mystery, but he and Faren were definitely flirting," she finished with a wink.

"We were not flirting!" Faren snapped.

Robyn raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so what was that _challenge_ you two kept talking about?"

Faren "hmphed" and jerked her head to the side. Robyn knew her too well to think she was flirting. That guy was so infuriating!

"Truth or dare, Jinx?" Robyn asked.

"Definitely dare," Jinx responded.

"I dare you to prank call the boys and tell Kid Flash that he is overcompensating," Robyn dared, holding out her cell phone.

Jinx smiled and grabbed the phone. She typed in the Titans East Tower and saved the number for future reference. It took only two rings before someone answered. "Titans East, this is Aqualad," a familiar voice greeted.

Jinx cleared her throat and spoke in a really girl voice, "Is that cutie Kid Flash there?"

The unsure tone of Aqualad's voice was obvious when he said slowly, "Yeah, sure. One sec."

Aqualad handed the phone to Kid Flash. "Kid Flash here," the speedy teen greeted.

Jinx felt like laughing. "I used to be such a fan of yours," she stated in that high pitched, girly tone.

"Really?" Kid Flash asked.

"But not anymore," Jinx responded.

Kid Flash frowned. "Why not?"

Jinx bit her lip to prevent herself from laughing. "For overcompensating what you lack." Jinx quickly hung up the phone and broke out in a fit of giggles. The rest of the girls followed suit.

Once the laughter died out, Jinx turned her attentions to Bumblebee. "Truth or dare, Bee?"

"Truth," Bumblebee answered.

"Is there anyone that you like and who is he?" Jinx asked.

"That's two questions!" Bumblebee objected.

"So," Jinx replied with a shrug.

"I'll only answer on," Bumblebee stated firmly.

"Nope, you have to answer both or else," Argent said, holding up a fresh bowl of pudding of sadness.

Bumblebee glanced at the bowl and shuddered. "Fine," she caved. She cringed and shook her head of the thought. She glared at Jinx. Why did she have to say truth!

"We're waiting," the pink-haired girl grinned.

"There…is a guy I like," Bumblebee began.

"Tell us, Friend, who is he?" Starfire asked with anticipation.

"…" she muttered in so soft a whisper that no one heard.

"Who?" Robyn asked.

"CYBORG! Okay! CYBORG!" Bumblebee yelled.

"Could have never guessed," Raven remarked sarcastically with a smirk.

Bumblebee blushed. "How about you, Argent? Truth or dare?" Bumblebee asked.

"I think I will pick truth," Argent replied.

"What do you see in Speedy?" Bumblebee asked.

Argent gasped in shock. "What?"

"It's not that hard of a question. What do you see in Pretty Boy?" Bumblebee repeated.

The pale Argent flushed with sudden color. "Speedy…is really cute and sweet. Not to mention he treats me right."

Bumblebee and the others laughed. "I don't think any one of us will see _that_ side of him," the Titans East leader remarked.

The girls continued with their game of truth or dare. Both the guys and girls were having an awesome time. But trouble was out on the horizon. A shadowed figure walked the empty streets of Jump City. He stopped underneath a street light. The light revealed his identity. It was Slade!

"It feels good to be back," Slade thought aloud.

* * *

Author's Note: Here's the next chapter. Please review.


	4. Reunite

Live and Love

Author's Note: This is collaboration between Rraz45 and myself. We hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: We claim nothing that you recognize! If you don't recognize it, it's original. Simple as that.

* * *

Chapter 4: Reunite

The trip back was a little less difficult than the trip there. For Robin, it was almost enjoyable. He sat on his motorcycle with Beast Boy while Aqualad was in the T-care with Cyborg, Speedy, and Más y Menos. Kid Flash had sped ahead, deeming the vehicles too slow. The twins felt the same way, but decided to stay with their team. However, as not to ruin the surprise, Kid Flash promised not to surface until the others contacted him. Cyborg guessed that he would use his alter ego.

It surprised Robin that Aqualad had been the one to suggest outing the two-week break short to visit the girls. Perhaps he was telling the truth about Robyn and the guys took it out of proportion? That was extremely possible.

The sight of Titans Tower brought a huge relief to Cyborg's mind. It wasn't that he didn't trust the girls with the Tower, but seeing it in one piece was a good sign. He messaged Kid Flash, who sped to meet them on the island.

Surprise gripped Starfire as she heard the garage door creak as it started to open. She had often spent time in that part of the Tower when Robin was gone. His motorcycle had gone with him, but Beast Boy's mo-ped sat in its place. However, two things could cause the door to open, Starfire had concluded: the boys were back or there was a glitch in the system. The alien couldn't see the boys coming back so early, so she decided to seek Raven for technological advice. She left, but not before Robin saw her red hair in the doorway. He smiled, hoping she would turn around when the garage door closed to find him standing there, awaiting her enormous, back-breaking hug.

To his disappointment, she did not. Cyborg grinned at him, but Robin ignored his robotic friend. Beast Boy checked on his mo-ped. Kid Flash heard Jinx in the hall, leading Starfire there. Raven was in the back.

Jinx laughed when she entered the garage and saw the guys unpacking the T-car and motorcycle. Starfire gasped and gave Robin the back-breaking, tackle hug he had wished for. Raven greeted them with a cool expression, but her surprised was recognized by a little, green Titan.

"You guys couldn't stay away for two weeks, could you?" Jinx teased as Kid Flash embraced her.

"Oh! Our new friends and Argent will be so happy to see you are back!" exclaimed Starfire. The alien dragged Robin up the stairs.

"Wait! Star! Aaahh!" protested Robin before he could do anything. The guys broke out into laughter at the sight.

"Oh, yeah, and he's not whipped," Speedy sarcastically remarked.

"Oh and Argent doesn't have a tight rope around your neck," Jinx commented.

Speedy shrugged. "Please, I'm anything but whipped. If anything, she is stuck on me."

Jinx smiled smugly. "I bet Argent would love to hear that."

Speedy's superior expression fell as a look of horror took its place. "You wouldn't dare."

"Watch me," Jinx replied before running out of the garage.

Speedy blinked a few times before chasing after the pink-haired trouble maker. Jinx notice the archer was right behind her. A grin formed on her lips she used her powers to slow her chase her down. Speedy's foot fell through the floor.

"No fair!" Speedy yelled at Jinx's retreating figure.

When Jinx turned a corner, she ran into the person she was looking for. Argent had a confused expression on her face. "What's with all the yelling?" she asked.

Jinx took a deep breath. "I just wanted to tell you something before Speedy decided to be rude and interrupt." The pale teen eyed her curiously. The boys were back? That was news. She knew her boyfriend wouldn't be able to stay away for long.

A few moments later, a panting Speedy caught up. "No fair! You cheated!"

"Really, now," Jinx teased.

Speedy glared at her and then noticed his girlfriend standing there. His face softened and he smiled at the girl he missed. "Argent! I've missed you," Speedy stated happily.

"Really?" Argent spoke as she crossed her arms. Speedy didn't like that tone.

"Whatever she told you, she's lying!" he informed her. "She used to be a criminal before Kid Flash!"

"What? That you didn't think about me at all when you were gone because Jinx told me that you thought about me a lot," Argent responded.

Jinx grinned. This was way much more fun.

"What? No! I couldn't stop thinking about you! You were in my mind and heart all the time," Speedy pleaded. How dare Jinx trick him like that!

Argent smiled and let about an "aww!" before she embraced him and told him she missed him, too. Their lips locked in a lingering kiss. Speedy glanced toward Jinx as he held his girlfriend tighter. The pink-haired teen pointed to herself and mouthed "you owe me one" as she tip-toed away. She didn't get too far before she was cornered by her very own boyfriend.

"I think somebody missed me," Kid Flash whispered in his girlfriend's ear.

Jinx rolled her eyes. "And why should I miss you? You're only my boyfriend."

"Is that what I am?" he laughed, his eyes more sensuous than teasing. The young man's eyes changed to laughter. "And here I thought you missed my handsome looks and hot body."

Jinx mocked laughter. "Oh, sure, that bottomless pit is _extremely_ handsome."

Kid Flash, quick as light, grabbed her and held her tight in his embrace. "Want me to prove you wrong?" he asked, staring into her eyes and melting her mind with his hypnotic gaze. He had that over her, but she held the other half. Jinx led him out of the hall, daring him to try. And he was one to never shy away from a dare…

Back at the garage, Beast Boy and Raven were left alone. Cyborg left to unpack, and Más y Menos went to the common room to play video games. The green teenager glanced at the goth. There was no emotion in her face.

"So, did you gave fun this week?" Beast Boy asked, fidgeting as he tried to start a conversation.

Raven closed her eyes slowly and opened them. "It was fine."

The short answer hurt, but Beast Boy knew that was just Raven. Putting on a broad smile, he said, "Bet you missed me."

The goth rolled her eyes and walked away. "Beyond words," she said dryly in as sarcastic a tone as she could muster.

Beast Boy nodded in satisfaction. "Oh, yeah, she missed me."

Cyborg finished putting his things away when there was a knock at his door. Cyborg looked at this door and blinked. "Come on in. Door's open," he called.

The tapping of heels told him it was one of the girls. He finished checking his charger and turned to find Bumblebee standing there. His heart pounded. She was in his room. Rational thought brought him out of his brief fantasy.

"Uh…Het," he greeted.

"Hey. How's it going, Sparky?"

"Fine,"

"Why're you guys back so early?"

_Because we missed the girls that bad,_ he thought. _Especially me._ "You know Robin and Speedy. Can't spend too long without their girls. Add Kid Flash to the mix, you got a full army of whipped guys."

"Oh, so it was all them, huh?" she teased, although Cyborg detected a slight disappointment in her eyes.

"Yep. But it's great to be back." _Because of you_. "So, what did you guys do?"

"Girl stuff. And you?"

"Guy stuff."

On that note, Bumblebee sighed inwardly. "Fight any other criminals?"

"No. You?"

"Quiet as a mouse."

"I see."

The awkwardness between them was unbearable. Bumblebee smiled. "Come one, Sparky. It's my turn to make lunch."

"No, I'm gonna make my famous three-meat chili!" Cyborg declared.

"Whoever gets to the kitchen first cooks," challenged Bumblebee.

"You're on."

Meanwhile, Aqualad looked longingly at the ocean. It had been weeks since he had spoken to anyone from the sea. His team liked fish, and he had to endure it as Beast Boy did. It was difficult, but he respected his friends enough not to say anything. They didn't bother him about not eating fish.

Footsteps behind him back to land. He glanced around and paled when he saw Robyn. "Hey there," she acknowledged.

"H-hi." Aqualad swallowed. He had to get a grip on himself. He shook his head and decided to play it cool. "Sorry. I wasn't expecting anybody out here."

"That's okay. I wasn't either. I just needed some fresh air. Starfire's catching up with Robin in the living room and the two little boys are playing the Game Station," she said with a sigh. "There was really nothing to do."

Aqualad smiled. "Wanna go for a swim? It's pretty refreshing."

The pleasant surprise on her face brightened his day. "Sure. That sounds like a great idea!"

They both dived in. Robyn came up for air shortly after and swam in a small circle and looked about for Aqualad. Fear gripped her when she didn't see him. What happened? Robyn dived down. She couldn't see him. She started to panic. He hadn't drowned, could he?

Aqualad swam directly behind her so she couldn't see him. When she came up for air, he went down. Finally, he stopped toying with her and tickled her feet. A strong kick surprised him and he surfaced.

"Aqualad! Are you okay?" Robyn asked frantically. He smiled at her. "You're not hurt?" He shook his head. Suddenly, he began laughing and it finally clicked in her mind. "You idiotic egghead! You had me so worried. I bet you were on shore the whole time!"

"No, I was underwater," he stated. "I'm Atlantean. In a way, I'm half fish."

Robyn gaped at him. "That's so cool! Can you talk to fish?"

"Yeah," he said proudly.

"Cool! I can talk to animals on land. I take on their traits at will, mostly when I fight."

"So that's how you hit Red X so hard he took a few steps back!" Robyn beamed. She really like this guy. How had she not noticed him before? Perhaps it was her small crush on Robin that got her to ignore him. Now that her hopes of Robin were gone completely, along with the confusion of having the same sounding stage name, she would see how this went.

Faren just put away the last of her ingredients. The potion had been ruined and she was not going to try again today. She emerged to find the boys back. She blinked in confusion. Weren't they due _next_ week? How long was she in her room?

She found Raven meditating, trying to drown out Beast Boy's constant chatter. Faren decided to save her new friend from annoyance. "Hey, Beast Boy."

"Oh, hey, Faren. What's up?"

"Nothing. Just confused. Did two weeks go by that fast?"

Beast Boy laughed. "Nah. We came back early."

Faren shook her head. "are you guys seriously _that_ whipped?"

"No, just the ones in relationships…and Cyborg." The green Titan looked a little embarrassed.

Raven opened her eyes. "What was that?"

"Oh, now you want to talk to me?" Beast Boy teased.

"Beast Boy, just answer the question!" Raven snapped.

"Cyborg's whipped, too. He just doesn't want to admit it."

"I knew it." The goth smiled.

Faren shook her head. "Bet I know who the lucky girl is. Bumblebee couldn't stop talking about their past adventures."

Beast Boy's mouth dropped and caught Faren's gaze. "I have an idea," they said at once. They turned to Raven. The girl stared at them and shook her head. "Leave me out of this," she ordered.

"Come on, Rae. You know you want to," Faren wheedled. "Think of Bumblebee not talking about her adventures so much and only saying stuff when it's solicited."

Raven frowned deeper. "Yeah," Beast Boy added. "Besides, they both like each other already. We're just speeding up the inevitable."

The gothic teen rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Fine," she caved.

Beast Boy grinned. "Alright, Raven!" he exclaimed.

Faren couldn't help but notice the unspoken bond shared between the two. She decided to look into it before she came to the same conclusion they did with Cyborg and Bumblebee. It would be interesting if she could pull it off. She hoped she could. Raven was stubborn, even more so than Cyborg and Bumblebee.

All of a sudden, the alarm went off. Beast Boy groaned loudly. "Can't even put my stuff away? And there's trouble!"

Raven eyed him oddly. "Put away? You dump it in your room!"

"What's your point?"

The scene was normal for a crime. The red light of the alarm lit at each sound. Whoever the criminal was knew their way around a high security research center. Cyborg sighed. This was a pattern with on one or two bad guys, both of whom were well acquainted with Robin. Why did it have to be when they just got back?

Soon enough, they caught up with the man. It was no surprise to Cyborg to find Red X. He hated that guy. He was cool and then he wasn't. He was good and then bad. He wasn't consistent. It drove him crazy. He wanted to scream "Pick a side!"

"What'd you steal this time, X?" asked Cyborg in a menacing tone.

"Try and find out, Bot," Red X said mockingly. "I'm right here." Cyborg sneered at him.

"Are you going to be a coward and disappear again, or are you going to fight?" Faren inquired.

"Aren't you guys being the cowards?" Red X mocked. "I'm alone. You have fourteen people!"

Faren looked around and considered it. He was right, but their odds were better if they remained as they were. Not to mention it was _his_ fault for being on the wrong side of the coin. She glanced at Robin, who was grinding his teeth. Something was seriously wrong.

Red X looked directly at Robin. "Didn't take you for a coward, Robin."

"One-by-one," he stated.

The Titans turned to face his. "What?" they all questioned in unison, Más y Menos in Spanish.

"We'll fight him one-by-one."

Cyborg groaned. "I don't think that's a good idea, man."

Robin didn't blink. He and Red X only stared each other down. Bother were too prideful to do anything but go ahead with it. Red X could not pass up this opportunity and Robin could not allow Red X to taunt him and call him a coward.

"Well, Bird Boy. You're first," he said. "Think you can handle it?" Robin recognized the taunt. He couldn't let it get to him. His eyes narrowed. "Alright, Robin, I'll play," Red X agreed. "Game on."

Robin attacked. Kick, jab, kick, punch, disk, punch. Soon, Red X hit him with an x that turned into a straight jacket. Starfire reacted next. Starbolts fled her fingertips and anger poured from her body. Red X dodged them as fast as he could before disappearing and appearing behind her. Another straight jacket x shot out of his hand.

Red X fought Beast Boy, Argent, Bumblebee, and Kid Flash. Faren shook her head. Those damn x's! What else could he have in that suit! By the time they had gotten through Kid Flash, they were just outside the subway. The others were busy getting the x stuff off. Faren followed the thief.

"I guess it's just you and me, Spacegirl," he stated. "I couldn't be happier." Red X chuckled. "I'll say it again, we don't have to fight. Our challenge can be done…elsewhere."

Faren scowled at him. "You are impossible."

The skull mask failed to hide a smug grin. "That's what they tell me."

"Who? Your mother? I'm sure she had a difficult time _you_ into the world, with that big head of yours," Faren threw.

"You best remember, _Spacegirl_," warned the thief, "That I just bested six of the fourteen, three of whom I have never faced before."

"Anyone can read information about them on the Internet," Faren reasoned. "For all we know, you could have looked up their styles and watched them on youtube to see how to beat them." A grin leaked onto her face. "I bet under that mask, there's a sad little man, full of insecurity and grief, isn't there?"

Red X's eyes widened. The thief was in so much shock, he barely noticed the blue magic from her fingers in a bolt headed straight towards him. Just in time, he dodged out of the way. She had goaded him! Faren let out a relieved sigh. This guy did have weaknesses. For a moment, she had almost thought him invincible.

Recovering, Red X jumped on the beams above her. Faren sent a familiar sword after him. Dematerializing, he appeared behind her again. She almost got out of being restrained, but the man was too fast for her. He managed to grab her hands, but she faced him this time. His large hands gripped hers. He held them with one hand and moved his other to the small of her back.

Faren was stunned. He was not just keeping her restrained, but embracing her! Her eyes flared blue as she blasted her magic out of her body through her mouth. Red X staggered back. Another bolt of energy hit him. She had him cornered between a newspaper dispenser and a bench . Just as she neared him, he threw an x at her. It was a net. Faren was pinned to the ground in a net.

Red X neared her. "You should have taken the other challenge," he teased. "As fun as_ this_ was, it could have been so much more."

Faren glared at him. "You're an arrogant fool," she growled. Her eyes glowed again and she turned into a blue orb. The bright light blinded Red X for a few moments. He watched the orb curiously. The net dropped uselessly to the ground as it went through the material. Right by the edge of the subway tracks, the orb stopped and the girl returned. "You know nothing about me, Red X," she informed him. "You don't even know my name." Without another word, she attacked, this time hand to hand. It shocked him for only a moment. She was not skilled in martial arts, but that didn't seem to hinder her. She knew how to punch and kick and block.

Red X caught one of her hands. "You're right, I don't know anything about you. But that can go both ways." He caught her other hand. "So, babe, what's your name?" Faren tried to kick him in the crotch. He dodged and threw her into the beam above the tracks. She hit it hard and fell to the tracks below, the wind knocked out of her.

"I'll take that as you won't answer presently," he stated in a gentlemanly tone.

A noise down the tunnel sent a chill down her spine as she started struggling to her knees. Slowly, her head turned towards the tunnel. It felt as if it was in slow motion as lights started getting closer and closer. Faren couldn't get her mind to tell her body to move. She could only sit on her knees, awaiting something very large to hit her.

Something grabbed her suddenly. Faren let out a startled scream. The train had nearly hit her in that brief moment. Landing hard on the concrete, Faren let out a relieved breath she had been holding. She saw her savior lying atop her. It was Red X.

"Well, this is cozy," he voice calmly. Before she could yell at him, he got up, and brought her to her feet. Suddenly, he grabbed her, pulled her to him, pecked her lips with the briefest kiss, and was gone.

The other Titans appeared after the train passed. Faren was still in shock, her hand on her lips. They asked her what happened and she left out the flirtation and the kiss that still had her mind swimming. How ridiculous! It wasn't even a real kiss! It was just a peck…

Cyborg saw her troubled expression. He led her to the workout room. The surprised Faren glanced at him curiously. He shrugged as he said, "Figured you could use some time away from people. Something's bother you."

"It's that obvious?"

"Just a little." Faren groaned. She knew she was an open book. Before she could scold herself, Cyborg put a hand on her shoulder. "You want to talk about it?"

Sighing, Faren nodded. "You remember how Red X was flirting with me the first fight in Steel City?" Cyborg nodded his head. "Well, he kissed me tonight. It was only a peck." She frowned at Cyborg's surprised face. "He's done that before, hasn't he? Maybe if she wasn't the only one, she would forget it.

Cyborg shook his head. Surprisingly, Faren wasn't disappointed. Instead, it made her excited. "Nah, he usually just flirts very lightly with Starfire. I think he did it just to get on Robin's nerves." He paused. "I don't know, Fae, but he may be doing it just to get on your nerves, or any boyfriend you may have."

Faren shook her head. "I don't have one. I'm not exactly looking, either."

Bumblebee walked towards the workout room. She had to find Cyborg. She finally got the courage to ask him about something as simple as helping her in a training exercise and putting updates on the Tower. The dark teen stopped when she saw the shadows of Cyborg and Faren. They were hugging. Bumblebee's heart fell and she fled.

"Thanks," Faren said.

"For what?"

"For listening without joking and teasing me about it."

"Anytime."

Meanwhile, Starfire was busy catching up with Tamaran's ruler, Galfor, her old nanny. Robin was slightly disappointed, but knew she would do the same thing for him when he spoke to Batman. To pass the time, he set up the training ground outside. Splashing took his mind off his practice, and cost him a punch in the face from a dummy.

Robin turned the training session off with the click of a button and viewed the ocean. A playful scream sounded. Curiously, Robin walked towards the water. He saw Robyn in the air, Aqualad controlling a wave that seemed to have just launched the girl.

He smiled. The two made a good couple, he thought. She reminded him of Starfire in some ways, but the major reason he wouldn't be attracted to her was that she didn't strike him as completely innocent where Starfire did, even if she wasn't. She also didn't stir any real reaction in her other than the initial "she's pretty."

Robyn hit the water hard and soon came up for air. "No fair!" she yelled. She was close to the shore where Robin stood. As if feeling his curious eyes on them, Robyn turned. She smiled at him, but the look was a little different than before. He wondered what had changed. "Hey, Robin. Want to join us?" She headed his way and stepped onto the shore.

"No, thanks," he answered. It looked like fun, but he needed to train. At least, that was his excuse.

"Oh, come on," the girl faked a whine. "Lighten up. It's refreshing!" Robin still shook his head. The girl frowned at him, and suddenly gave him a wicked smile. Robin was about to run when suddenly Robyn was behind him and pushed him into the water. He heard Aqualad laugh and a splash to indicate she had jumped in after him.

Breathing heavily, Robin surfaced and glared at the female before realizing she was right. She swam towards Aqualad. The Atlantean used the waves to get the two of them to go faster. Robin and Aqualad shared a mischievous grin and swam towards the girl. She dived down. The two of them followed suit. Aqualad grabbed her around the waist and brought her to the surface.

Robyn struggled and got out of his arms, only to fall into her male counterpart's grasp. He threw her into the air and she landed right by Aqualad. The three of them laughed and splashed each other.

* * *

Author's Note: Wow, Red X again. No shocker there, he's a thief.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please Review!


	5. Combat Practice

Live and Love

Author's Note: This is collaboration between Rraz45 and myself. We hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: We claim nothing that you recognize! If you don't recognize it, it's original. Simple as that.

* * *

Chapter 5: Combat Practice

All of the occupants of Titans Tower woke up early. Robin had planned combat practice for everyone, much to their dismay. It was early in the morning and they were all gathered on the training grounds Robin and Cyborg had built.

"Dude, do we have to train so early in the morning?" Beast Boy complained.

Everyone ignored the changeling's rants. Robin and Cyborg were at the head computer for simulations. "Alright everyone is going to pair up," Robin stated.

"We'll go on by one with each pair," Cyborg added. "Since there is an uneven number, I'll referee," Kid Flash stated.

Both Robin and Cyborg looked at one another. "Well, actually there is an even number. Más y Menos count as one," Cy spoke. Kid Flash muttered curses under his breath. He really didn't want to fight.

"Alright, up first it's Robyn and Jinx; then its Faren and Cyborg; then Argent and Bumblebee; followed by Star and Kid Flash; Beast Boy and Raven will be after them; then Speedy and Más y Menos; and then it will be me and Aqualad," Robin informed.

Robyn and Jinx entered the training ring first. Both grinned at one another before striking. Jinx used her powers, but Robyn jumped up in the air and avoided the attack. The dark-haired teen's iris dilated and she delivered a powerful uppercut. Jinx was blown away by it. Everyone (except for Kid Flash who had a smile on his face, thought the pink-haired teen was down for the count. Suddenly, Jinx jumped up into a hand-stand and did a summersault. Pink waves traveled in every direction as Robyn's feet. She did a couple of flips to avoid the waves of bad luck, but she couldn't avoid them all. A rock was the cause of it all. Robyn tripped on it when she landed and fell out of the ring, face first. The rest of the Titans cringed at the sight. Jinx moved to the edge of the ring and put her arm out. Robyn's frown turned into a smile as she took her friend's hand and was helped back into the ring.

"Good job," everyone congratulated.

Up next was Faren and Cyborg. Both were grinning as they entered the ring.

"Do you think you can take me, Tin Man?" Fae taunted.

Cyborg huffed. "This will be easier than beating Grass Stain over there!"

Fae laughed She would prove him wrong. He just didn't know it yet.

The fight began. Cyborg blasted her direction, but a blue org floated above him. The blue orb disappeared and Faren landed on top. The look on Bumblebee's face was priceless. Cyborg rolled out of Fae's grasp and went to grab her, but a heeled boot hit him in the stomach. It hurt her more than him, but it sufficiently kept his arm away from her. Blue sparks left her foot and messed with Cyborg's circuits by adding negative energy to the positive wires. She moved and Cyborg was stuck.

"Damn, girl. You didn't hurt me, but can you fix me?" complained the half robot.

She put a hand on his chest and repaired the damage she had done. Bumblebee glared at the two of them.

"Alright," Cyborg said. "Great job. I underestimated you. Bumblebee, Argent, you're next."

Argent and Bumblebee went into the ring. Beast Boy noted the disappointment in Bumblebee's eyes when she glanced at Cyborg and put a determined expression on her face. Just before the fight began, Bumblebee caught a last glimpse of Faren holding back a laugh and Cyborg nudging her with his elbow, as if he had made a joke. Bumblebee was caught off guard when the fight began, a red hammer knocking her out.

Argent gasped. "I didn't mean to hit her that hard!"

Beast Boy calmed her. "She was…distracted. It wasn't your fault."

Faren ran up to Bumblebee. She and Raven carried her to the infirmary to heal her quickly. "I have a potion for knock outs," stated Faren. "I'll need to brew it, but it only takes 30 minutes to make."

"I'll keep her stable until then," Raven suggested.

Robin looked to his girlfriend and smiled. "You're up, Star."

Starfire smiled at her Robin before entering the ring with Kid Flash was confident that he could win this fight against the alien. All the usual happiness vanished from Starfire's face as she stood ready to fight. Kid Flash had to admit it was kind of intimidating. He could see why Robin was so whipped on this girl.

A smirk appeared on the speedy teenager's face. In a blink of an eye, Kid Flash began running, circling the Tamaranian, making the viewers sick to the stomach. Starfire couldn't hit him with one of her starbolts. Not even her laser eyes could land a hit. Suddenly, a clever thought hit her. Kid Flash was curious that Starfire had stopped attacking him. Maybe she had given up? Quickly, he glanced at the alien teen. Her star bolt power was gathering all around her. With a low and feral grunt, Starfire released all of the energy. Instantly, Kid Flash was knocked off his feet and sent flying out of the ring.

Robin cheered for his girlfriend. He knew the whole time that she was going to win. It was his Starfire, after all.

Kid Flash jumped up to his feet and gave a thumbs up to his opponent. "Well, alien girls do pack a punch."

Starfire giggled and Jinx rolled her eyes at her boyfriend. She was glad that he lost; he really need to come off his high horse.

Once Raven returned, she and Beast Boy entered the ring. Both were not eager to fight one another. Personally, Beast Boy had wanted to fight Robyn, and Raven wanted to fight Faren. It would be a much more interesting challenge that way.

"Don't worry, Rae, I'll go easy on you," Beast Boy spoke as he entered the ring.

Raven rolled her eyes. "I promise I won't hurt you too bad."

Beast Boy jumped in the air and changed into a ram. With her telekinesis, Raven caught the changeling mid air. And with an easy flick of the wrist, she tossed him out of the ring. Everyone had wide eyes. That was the shortest fight. Raven didn't even touch Beast Boy!

Beast Boy stood up and dusted himself off. Raven walked out of the ring. He grinned at her. "I guess better luck next time," he said with a laugh.

Raven shook her head, but had a slight smile on her face. "A lot of it." She went back inside to check on Bumblebee and Faren.

Speedy and Más y Menos entered the ring. Argent wished Speedy good luck. This was definitely going to be a challenge. The opponents shared a quick glance. Más y Menos joined bonds and the two were out of sight. Speedy couldn't even find them. He gripped his bow and the arrow in had tighter. Suddenly, Speedy felt a rough punch in his kidney. He fell forward onto his knees. Más y Menos sped in front of the kneeling teenager and punched him in the face. A little bit of blood ran down Speedy's chin. Quickly, the archer jumped to his feet. With the red and white blur in sight, he shot the arrow. But he just missed the twins. Once again, he was knocked off his feet by the mischievous twins. How was he going to win this? Much like Robin, Speedy felt another arrow from his quiver and readied his bow. The blur that was Más y Menos was barely visible to the naked eye. But Speedy was biding his time and waiting for the right moment to strike. Suddenly it hit home and he shot the arrow. Más y Menos were separated. Quickly, Speedy shot a few arrows that knocked separated twins out of the ring.

Everyone cheered for the fight. It was a really good show. Speedy grinned and glanced at Argent. He could tell she was impressed with his win. His grin grew wider. It was a job well done.

Finally, it was Robin's turn to enter the ring. Aqualad heard the loud cheers from Starfire. Boy, it made him feel less and less confident. The Atlantean quickly glanced at that girl that captured his heart. She was silently cheering Aqualad on. He smiled. It made him really happy that she was cheering for him.

Robin felt his blood pumping. He couldn't wait for his turn. Not to mention he could hear the shouts from Starfire, cheering for his victory. It always made the Boy Wonder more pumped for a fight when he had Star.

Aqualad used his powers to cover his arms in water. Robin quickly reached for his utility belt and grabbed for a bird rang. With a toss, Robin threw his device. Aqualad used the water he gathered to counter Robin's attack. But Robin was a tactician when it came to fighting, and his move was only a distraction. Aqualad was not keeping a close eye on the Boy Wonder. Robin ran forward and delivered a powerful round house kick to the Atlantean. Aqualad was knocked back. Using his quick agility and acrobatic skills, Robin did a front flip, grabbed Aqualad by the shoulders, and tossed him out of the ring.

Robyn ran to the fallen Atlantean. She knelt down and the two smiled at one another. "You did a great job," she complimented.

"But I didn't win," he responded.

Robyn smiled. "It doesn't matter," she told him before softly kissing him on the lips.

Everyone's mouths dropped. They were not expecting that. All but Robin. A smiled graced his features. He knew it was coming.

While the Titans trained, someone was planning. In his new hide out, Slade planned his next move. On the table he was sitting at, a set of blue prints to a jail lay before him. It was clear the villain was planning a break in. He had mapped out how to get in and out masterfully.

Suddenly, a teenage girl walked into the room. She was average height with blond hair and brown eye. Slade turned to the girl. She smiled sweetly at him with admiration in her eyes.

"Is the plan ready?" she asked.

Slade crossed his arms. "Yes, we just need to make our move."

* * *

Author's Note: Uh-oh. Slade again. But who is this new girl with him?

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please Review!


	6. Crap

Live and Love

Author's Note: This is collaboration between Rraz45 and myself. We hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: We claim nothing that you recognize! If you don't recognize it, it's original. Simple as that.

* * *

Chapter 6: Crap

Raven slipped into the living room rather early. The Titans East and Argent left the night before. They said they would be back as soon as they subdued Steam Roller. The Titans had decided to stay together for a while. Bumblebee complained that there was nothing to do in Steel City. Upon hearing this news, Starfire asked if they could stay until something was wrong it Steel City. Somehow, they recruited Kid Flash as a transport, who didn't mind as long as the twins did the same thing. Raven sighed. Sometimes things didn't make sense in the Titans Tower.

Robin was not awake yet, surprisingly. He was usually the first one up. Instead, Raven shrugged and went about making her herbal tea. She paused when she noticed the TV still on. She believed she would scream if she saw Beast Boy. He was _always_ leaving the TV on. She stopped in front of the sofa. Where was that remote? Turning, she let out a startled gasp. It was Faren…and the remote was in her hands. She was curled up in a ball, a black blanket draped over her. Raven smiled. The goth was starting to enjoy the girl's company.

The girl stirred and yawned. Raven summoned the remote and turned the TV off. "Hi, Raven," she greeted as she yawned again. "What time is it?"

"Shortly after eight," Raven replied. "Want some tea?"

Faren shook her head. "Thanks, but I'll make myself some coffee." Raven nodded and allowed Fae to follow her to the kitchen. As Raven poured her tea into a cup, Faren looked around curiously. "Where's Robin?"

Raven shrugged. "I don't know. He's normally the first one up."

The other trickled in…all except Robin and Starfire. No one noticed except the girls. They each shared a look of interest, but said nothing. The truth or dare had helped Raven understand a little of what was going on when they disappeared. Perhaps that wasn't a good thing. Beast Boy raced Cyborg to the sofa to play videogames, but Kid Flash was there first.

"No fair!" Beast Boy whined.

"I could be in Singapore and it wouldn't be fair," Kid Flash said.

"He's got a point, BB," Cyborg stated. His eye caught a black cloth on the sofa. He lifted it carefully, "Who's cape?"

Raven looked at Faren, who sat at the table putting creamer into her coffee. Faren caught her gaze and glanced at the cape in question. "Is that what was on me this morning?" Raven nodded. "I don't know where it came from. You're saying it's a cape?"

Cyborg nodded. Holding it out, a smirk appeared on his face. Tossing the cape to her, he said, "Yeah. You should keep it, since it doesn't seem to belong to any of us."

The boys were completely lost in videogames when Robin and Starfire emerged. The girls eyed them knowingly, but went back to what they were doing. Raven had learned that Faren was what people call a mage, or a good witch. Raven had read about them on Azarath, but knew how rare they really were.

"Maybe you could teach me some stuff?" Jinx asked. "I've always wanted to learn some potions."

Faren shrugged . "Sure. I'd have to get some more ingredients, but I can teach you some simple stuff."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "Would it be useful?"

Faren nodded. "Most potions are useful in some way or another. You want some lessons, too?"

A blush in slight embarrassment formed on her face. That wasn't her intent originally, but Raven nodded. It would be helpful, she supposed. Besides, Raven had seen how easily Bumblebee had come back from unconsciousness. As Faren left for town, Raven looked towards Robin and Starfire. He was allowing her to cook for him, which she knew he was only humoring the alien. No one cared for Starfire's cooking. Raven still had nightmares about the last meal she made. It was this jelly substance with sprinkles and zorka berries. The berries were the only good things in the dish, and even those were disgusting.

Faren had gotten to know Jump City well. The park was her favorite place. Not only did it have the best herbs, but it was beautiful. There was a secluded willow by the water. Underneath the myriad of leaves that hung to the ground, her favorite herb grew. She rarely used it, but it was a great herb for potions, not to mention cooking. She started picking the mint. The smell was intoxicating.

A ball hit her head. Faren picked it up and looked around, an angry gleam in her eye. A little girl ran up to her and apologized. "I am sorry, miss. My brother and I were playing and I threw it too hard," she explained. Her long blond hair was in two pigtails and she wore a soccer uniform. The girl looked about ten years old. "Please forgive me."

Faren smiled at her and handed her the ball. "Here. Just take it easy there, okay?"

The girl nodded and ran off. A laugh made Faren turn in surprise. What she saw was a young man, presumably in his early twenties. Was he laughing at her? The young heroine frowned. He was drop-dead gorgeous. His tall frame coupled with a muscular build that his clothes failed to hide made Faren's stomach flutter. That scruffy, dark brown hair that framed his face contrasted breathtakingly with his ice blue eyes. He was leaning against a sturdy oak tree, nonchalantly crossing his arms. The lilt of his laughter made her toes curl in delight.

That was ridiculous! Why did his laugh make her want to prove that she wasn't a joke? He stopped laughing and looked at her. His smirk held arrogance, but good humor. And those stunning eyes! The young man must have known how hypnotizing they were because he winked at her.

Faren glared at him. She suddenly didn't care that he was gorgeous and her nerves stretched to where it seemed they would snap. "What do you find so humorous, Scruffy?"

He blinked at her. "Scruffy? Now that's a way to get a guy's attention," he stated sarcastically.

"Just answer the question."

The young man ignored her. Instead, he lifted himself from the tree and walked up to her. He was a good eight to ten inches taller than her, but that did not intimidate her. "Ease up," he ordered playfully. "I wasn't laughing at you, just the girl, Flower Girl."

"Flower Girl? Do I look like I'm a child in a wedding ceremony?"

"No, but you were picking something. I assumed they were flowers," he said in a bored tone. His eyes looked directly at hers at that moment. "Besides, I thought it would be closer to the truth than 'Woman,' don't you think?" Faren was speechless. How could this guy do that just by joking with her? "What's your name, anyway?"

Faren crossed her arms and frowned. "You first, Scruffy."

The man laughed again. "You guessed it, Princess."

"Princess?" she scoffed. "Don't you guys have _any_ imagination."

"Well, I can't call you Flower Girl, and the only other thing that comes to mind is 'Sunshine,' but that doesn't fit either." He smirked again. "If you told me your name, I wouldn't have an off-the-wall nickname."

That arrogant smirk had to go. Faren decided that two could play that game. "And I would still call you 'Scruffy.' At least I came up with a nickname based on your looks rather than common names for the opposite sex like a chauvinistic pig." She added a smirk herself. "But maybe I should call you 'Clumsy' instead. It goes better with you."

That caught his attention. "Clumsy?"

"Yeah. Something has to get you off that high pedestal you have yourself on."

He got closer to her, making her want to back up, but her pride wouldn't let her. One of his hands sneaked its way to the small of her back, the other just a little higher. She was in too much shock to do anything but stare at him. "I'd be glad to let you do it any time," he said tantalizingly.

Faren gasped in shock. How dare he! She pushed her magic between them and threw them both back several feet. He chuckled. The act didn't even faze him. She wasn't known in this town, was she? She shook her head. She had been fighting with the Titans for three weeks. Of course, the people would know about her and Robyn by now. It always surprised her to have the press around, plus the annoyance of seeing her face plastered somewhere.

"Feisty? Or are you just showing off?"

What arrogance! "You shaggy, unkempt, arrogant mother fucker!"

He shook her head. "Tsk, tsk. There are children around here."

"Look around. None within earshot."

"I'm looking at one, a very beautiful and robust girl," he stated.

Faren put her hands on her hips. "I am not a child!"

"Prove it."

"Huh?"

"Prove it," he repeated.

"I don't have to prove anything to you," she replied as she turned her back to him.

As Faren began to walk away, the man stared after her. "That was either pride or fear. Maybe a mix of both?"

Faren stopped and glanced over her shoulder. "Pride, definitely. I don't have to do anything for you."

The man started walking toward her again. She faced him. "Well, that is true. However, you could let go of your pride for just a moment."

"Why? So you can try to mess around with a magician for kicks?" she scoffed. "I'm not stupid. Guys like you pick up and let go. It's not worth my time."

"And how would you know?" he asked in a sly tone. "You haven't seen the merchandise." He was too close for comfort, but Faren's damned pride refused to allow her to leave. Besides, she would have too much fun with the next thing she said.

"What merchandise? All I can see is that bulging head of yours. Nothing but hot air and a pump." A little more bitterness was in her tone than she intended.

The man's eyes widened. "No pump here, Princess." He lifted a hand to caress her cheek. She tried to move the soft gesture away, but he took her hand and kissed it gently. Before she could pull away ,the caressing hand moved to the back of her head. He pulled her to him and kissed her lips. It lingered. He had his eyes closed and he nibbled at her lips to probe them open. Her eyelids drooped slowly and she allowed him passage into her mouth. He took the opportunity to deepen this ecstasy. A tongue shot out and wrestled with hers. She felt weak-kneed, but pure adrenaline kept her standing, wanting more. Who knew kissing a stranger would be so rejuvenating? His embrace tightened. Faren vaguely felt a hand roam from her neck to her back, the other from her back to her side.

All too soon, he broke the kiss, but kept her enclosed in his arms. "Now _that_ was no child." That smirk was back on his face.

"Faren," she breathed.

"Hm?"

"My name Is Faren."

He seemed to think that over. "Faren," he repeated, as if to test it out. He genuinely smiled. "I like that."

"Jake!" yelled an old woman.

The man cringed and let go of her. Faren mourned his departure for a moment. "Yes, Grandma?"

"Time to go!" she replied loudly. "I have Bingo tonight!"

"Jake, huh?" Faren wondered aloud.

"Like it?" Arrogance seemed to never leave him.

"No, can't say that I do," she stated, her former frustration returned. "And next time you maul someone, try not to be so clumsy." With that, she formed her blue orb and left as quick as she could. How could she let that happen? Most likely, she would never see him again. He had reawakened the fire she had buried deep inside her a long time ago. That door needed to remain shut.

* * *

Slade looked out at all of his robotic minions, the muscle that did the super villains bidding. He had to admit, it most certainly felt good to be back. His next mission was of grave importance. All of the planning had to be perfect. Nothing could go wrong.

The same teenage girl with blond hair walked up to Slade. She stood next to him and looked at what he was staring at. A twisted smiled formed on her lips.

"The guards will switch at midnight," she stated. Slade nodded his head. "And the escape route has been established," she added. "The jail will be easier to break in than to get back out."

"Yes, Rose, but we can't forget what we're after," Slade responded.

Rose's eyes widened and she quickly lowered her head. "I would never forget that," she muttered.

Slade turned around and faced the teenager. Slowly, he grabbed her chin and lifted up for her to look at him. The oufits they both wore were near identical. Hers was only more feminine. "I expected you wouldn't."

A half-smile appeared on her face. "Do you think we'll find him?" she asked.

"There's only one way to find out," he answered.

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry about the really late update.

So...What's Slade up to now? And who is this Rose?

And this Jake? How is he going to tie into everything?

I will post the next chapter as soon as I get more reviews.


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